A United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) Local was organized in Queenstown in 1910, the Milo-Queenstown United Farm Women of Alberta (UFWA) local was organized in 1917, and Milo UFA Local #713 was organized in late December 1925, or early January 1926. In 1932 the UFA separated into two distinct branches, one for the organization’s cooperative activities and one for all other functions. In 1949, this second branch joined the Alberta Farmers Union to form a new organization, the Farmers Union of Alberta (FUA), and the local chapter became Milo-Queenstown Local #1226; a women’s organization, Farm Women’s Union of Alberta (FWUA) was formed at the same time. In 1970 the FUA and FWUA joined the Alberta Federation of Agriculture to become Unifarm (and Women of Unifarm), and the area local became Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126. This local was dissolved in 1984 due to lack of interest.
Published
Final
Title based on contents of the fonds
The fonds consists of minutes, membership lists, correspondence and financial information relating to Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126, as well as to its predecessors and associated organizations.
The fonds has been arranged into the following series: Milo UFA; Milo-Queenstown FUA; Unifarm Milo Queenstown; UFWA/FWUA.
Doug Bushell
no restrictions on access
Item lists available for some series
Milo United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) Local #713 was organized in late December 1925 or early January 1926, with V.J. Bertrand and Jack Deitz elected officers. Previous UFA initiatives in the area had been conducted under the auspices of the Queenstown UFA local, which had been organized in 1910. These early activities included the successful petitioning for the re-location of a near-by ferry and for the extension of the railroad, as well as the construction of a Cooperative Hall north of the original Milo townsite, using volunteer labour.
In keeping with the overall philosophy of the UFA, the members of Milo Local #713 were committed to utilizing their combined strength, both politically and socially. They were concerned with everything from lease land and grazing rights to the state of the roads and of mail delivery, and helped arrange for the services of both a District Nurse and a doctor. They were part of the annual UFA picnics held at Lake McGregor, and joint meetings and social events were often planned with the Queenstown UFA local and with the Milo-Queenstown United Farm Women of Alberta. Money was raised at the picnics, as well as through activities like whist drives and raffles, and support was regularly provided to the Junior UFA local.
Meetings were held in the Co-operative Hall, the Union (United) Church basement or the Odd Fellows Hall, and sometimes the Co-Operative store, which opened in 1932.
After the adjournment of an apparently uneventful meeting in March 1935, the minute book resumes in April 1939. At that meeting, a motion was passed that “... the Milo UFA local be reorganized”, with meetings to be held the first Saturday of every month.
In 1949 the United Farmers of Alberta and the Alberta Farmers’ Union amalgamated, and the locals became Milo Farmers Union of Alberta Local #1226.
Published
The series consists of a minute book (which includes financial records 1926-31 and 1933-34) relating to Milo United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) Local #173.
Member list; dates of meeting minutes
The Farmers’ Union of Alberta (FUA) was established on January 14, 1949 when the United Farmers of Alberta and the Alberta Farmers’ Union amalgamated. Milo Farmers Union of Alberta Local #1226 had 36 members in October of that year.
While primarily concerned with agricultural issues, like its predecessor, the Milo FUA was involved with a range of community projects, including rural electrification and the construction of a park at Lake McGregor. Meetings were usually held in the homes of individual members, though sometimes in community buildings like the Milo Municipal Office or the Odd Fellows Hall. Following an “Urgent General Meeting in November 1954, the local became a “Milo-Queenstown combination”, and meetings alternated between the two communities.
The combined local participated in the annual Lake McGregor Race Meet; arranged for the bulk purchase of goods ranging from salt to frozen fruit; gave regular support to Farm Young People’s Week, and later, Gold Eye Lake Camp; held joint programs and meetings with the Milo-Queenstown Farm Women’s Union of Alberta; and oversaw two major initiatives for its members, the construction of a seed cleaning plant in Queenstown, and a medical services insurance group that was arranged through Blue Cross in 1963. Politically, they petitioned various levels of government about such issues as the wheat and hog marketing boards, the expansion of various farming communities in the area, and road construction and upgrading.
In 1970, the Farmer’s Union of Alberta amalgamated with the Alberta Federation of Agriculture. The Farmers' Union of Alberta amalgamated with the Alberta Federation of Agriculture to become Unifarm,
and Milo-Queenstown Farmers Union of Alberta Local #1226 became Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126.
Published
The series consists of minutes, correspondence, membership and financial information relating to Milo-Queenstown Farmers Union of Alberta Local #1226, District #12, Subdistrict #4.
The series has been divided into the following subseries: Minutes, which includes minutes and correspondence; Membership, which includes membership lists and slips, a Dividend ledger, Blue Cross medical insurance information and a Life Member Certificate for Mr & Mrs LH Ivers; District #12, which includes correspondence, a 1963 Convention programme, a map and a guest book.
Three pages of the Dividend ledger include notes and financial information that post-dates the FUA / Alberta Federation of Agriculture amalgamation.
L.H. Ivers Membership Certificate; gift of Sue Ivers
Member and attendance lists; Financial item lists; Dates of meeting minutes;Correspondence item list
In 1970 the FUA and FWUA joined the Alberta Federation of Agriculture to become Unifarm (and Women of Unifarm), and the previous area local became Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126.
The local continued to administer the Blue Cross Medical Services Insurance program, as well as advocate for their members.
In 1984 Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126 was dissolved due to “lack of interest”, and its remaining funds, $1,131.77, were donated to the New Milo Hall.
Published
The series consists of the contents of a binder labelled “M.S.I.” [Medical Services Insurance], Blue Cross Insurance information, membership drive pages, membership slips, and correspondence regarding Unifarm Milo Queenstown Local #124-126.
The series has been divided into the following subseries: Binder, which also includes loose Blue Cross Insurance information; Membership, which includes correspondence. The binder contents, which include information that pre-dates the formation of Unifarm, have been removed by the archives and maintained in their original order.
List of binder contents
The Milo-Queenstown local of the United Farm Women of Alberta (UFWA) was organized in 1917. They were dedicated, like the UFA, to the social and economic improvement of the lives of farmers and farm families, with a particular focus on the lives of farm women. From women’s suffrage to the provision of nursing care during influenza epidemics, the Milo-Queenstown UFWA played an active part in their community and its members were diligent fundraisers, providing support to a wide range of local and other causes. This included the backing of UFA political candidates at both the provincial and federal levels.
During World War II the Milo-Queenstown UFWA sent parcels and letters to servicemen, knit and sewed, took the place of farm labour that had gone into service, and raised funds through chicken suppers, raffles, card parties, and sales of plants, seeds, and produce.
The change in name to Farm Women’s Union of Alberta had little effect on the work of the organization. They continued to support the larger projects of their parent organization as well as their own local initiatives, which grew to include the sponsorship of an overseas orphan, and representation on the Milo-Queenstown Welfare Board. Although their parent organization changed its name to Women of Unifarm in 1970, the Milo-Queenstown FWUA continued through the late-1990s, with gradually dwindling membership.
Published
The series consists of a history of the UFWA/FWUA created as a centennial project in 1967, and one black & white photograph.
Audrey Fetkenher
Photo identification available